243 for Whitetails?

[catnthehat]

Anybody who knows me knows that the 243 is one the the two cartridges that I really love to hate!

However , my reasons are personal , nothing more , I have owned several , worked up loads for many more, and have recommended it to several new hunters and target shooters without hesitation .

The lineage of the cartridge cannot be refuted , neither on the target line in national and international match wins , or in the field from everything from long range gophers and woodchucks to moose .

It is popular , has good energy and low recoil and will continue to kill big game every year .
.Lord help me if I ever see another 1A or B78 for a good price , in spite of myself I might just buy it!!
Cat

[300magman]

They kill thousands upon thousands of deer with 223's in many states (and for all I know it's legal in some provinces here as well), of course the 243 is a fine choice. There would be guys in the areas where 223's are legal telling you your over gunned with the 243.

[Bobbydee]

2 whitetails this year fell to the 243! Both expired in seconds and both had noticeable exit wounds! Wife doesn't mind the recoil and it finished the job both times! 100 grain nosler partition!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by 300magman

They kill thousands upon thousands of deer with 223's in many states (and for all I know it's legal in some provinces here as well), of course the 243 is a fine choice. There would be guys in the areas where 223's are legal telling you your over gunned with the 243.

B.C. , Manitoba for sure and New Brunswick tooIIRC
Cat

[3blade]

Much of the dislike for the 243 came from the days before quality ammunition components and thorough understanding of barrel twist rates. Sure wish I had taken pictures of the bullet wounds caused by my 243 this year. After seeing the results for myself, the only animals I wouldn't hunt with it are bison & griz.

Below is a blood trail left by my whitetail buck, caused by an 80 gr ttsx. He went about 50 yards. If that's not enough for you...use a 50 bmg.

Edit: pic not working

[58thecat]

Bottom line is the 243 is a great capable cartridge.
So great I made it better...6-284.

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by 3blade

Much of the dislike for the 243 came from the days before quality ammunition components and thorough understanding of barrel twist rates. Sure wish I had taken pictures of the bullet wounds caused by my 243 this year. After seeing the results for myself, the only animals I wouldn't hunt with it are bison & griz.
Below is a blood trail left by my whitetail buck, caused by an 80 gr ttsx. He went about 50 yards. If that's not enough for you...use a 50 bmg.

Edit: pic not working

so I take it you don't have anything other than a 243 ? no 30-06 ,308 ,7 mag ,300 mag ? So if after grizz what would you use instead and Why ? Your grizzly choice will do what ? that the 243 can't .. seems these small calibers are the do all ...

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Morpheus32

Choosing a "magnum" cartridge to compensate for bullet placement is a mistake if you believe that power overcomes accuracy. Shot placement is the key. I have seen people "loose" game with a 300 Win Mag or other bigger moster cartridges...mostly because they don't practice because they are afraid of the recoil of the gun. Shoot the most gun you can but shoot accurately in field conditions. You don't need a magnum for any species we hunt here in Alberta. If your point is larger bullets weights for greater sectional density, I can agree. No one caliber is superior to the other. It is how you shoot it. There is a size joke in there....

Magnum is the sound that swells the head of many and is a selling gimmick by the manufactures.
What sounds more impressive...7 Remington magnum or 7-08......both are capeable in the right hands but in the wrong hands both will fail miserable equally.

[3blade]

Originally Posted by Rio56

so I take it you don't have anything other than a 243 ? no 30-06 ,308 ,7 mag ,300 mag ? So if after grizz what would you use instead and Why ? Your choice will do what ? that the 243 can't .. seems these small calibers are the do all ...

Used 243, 308, 3006, 7 rm, 12 g slugs, and bow. On moose, mulies, whitetail, and coyote.

Re: bison, it's too thick. Simply put the bullet needs to be heavier. On a grizzly, Id want to break both shoulders to avoid tracking. Same thing, need more weight to do the job reliably. I suppose that goes for any animal that requires anchoring, a heavier bullet would be safer. But if I'm shooting for the lungs, that little bullet just works.

They are not a 'do all'. Nothing is. But as an answer to the op, with quality ammunition it'll work just fine for deer and 99% of other hunts.

[dangerranger5143]

I got my girlfriend a Savage Axis XP chambered in .243. Did some target shooting and she was all over the place I shot it and hated it. Did some reading and found a trigger mod to lighten the pull. Followed the YouTube video. Didn't tell her about it. Went out again and suddenly she is shooting a 1/2" at 100 yards. She even said to me that the gun felt different. I took a few shots and could believe the difference.

Fast forward to November of this year. Whitetail doe standing broadside at 127 yards after sneaking through the canola swaths. 1 shot was all it took. Demolished the heart and even had an exit hole. She is shooting the Winchester 95 Grain ballistic silvertips. Very impressed with the gun, shot and result. Would recvonend it to anyone for Whitetail.

DR

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Magnum is the sound that swells the head of many and is a selling gimmick by the manufactures.
What sounds more impressive...7 Remington magnum or 7-08......both are capeable in the right hands but in the wrong hands both will fail miserable equally.

58 not to argue but you're saying the 7-08 and 243 can do the same as the 7MAG ... so why do they even make the 30-06 or 338 ? what's up .. this is all based on the same shot placement thingy everyone gets so over done on ... all things equal for placement the 7-08 and 7 RM are the same ?

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by 3blade

Used 243, 308, 3006, 7 rm, 12 g slugs, and bow. On moose, mulies, whitetail, and coyote.

Re: bison, it's too thick. Simply put the bullet needs to be heavier. On a grizzly, Id want to break both shoulders to avoid tracking. Same thing, need more weight to do the job reliably. I suppose that goes for any animal that requires anchoring, a heavier bullet would be safer. But if I'm shooting for the lungs, that little bullet just works.

They are not a 'do all'. Nothing is. But as an answer to the op, with quality ammunition it'll work just fine for deer and 99% of other hunts.

agree ..
it's the band wagon everyone wants to jump onto all the time "shot placement" can replace displacement " being equal shot placement , calibers and cartridges do make a diff ... the 99% is questionable IMO ..

[3blade]

Originally Posted by Rio56

agree ..
it's the band wagon everyone wants to jump onto all the time "shot placement" can replace displacement " being equal shot placement , calibers and cartridges do make a diff ... the 99% is questionable IMO ..

Oh no doubt. It's a tool. It's up to the user to utilize it correctly.

And that's where things go wrong, the nut behind the barrel. Shot placement is rarely equal. Most people won't flinch shooting a 243. Many, arguably most, will with 7 rm and larger cals. So if the smaller bullet goes where it should more often, it is the more effective option, if it can do what you want it to on impact with your chosen target.

If you can shoot the same with all cartridges, great, but that makes you the exception.

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by 3blade

Oh no doubt. It's a tool. It's up to the user to utilize it correctly.

And that's where things go wrong, the nut behind the barrel. Shot placement is rarely equal. Most people won't flinch shooting a 243. Many, arguably most, will with 7 rm and larger cals. So if the smaller bullet goes where it should more often, it is the more effective option, if it can do what you want it to on impact with your chosen target.

If you can shoot the same with all cartridges, great, but that makes you the exception.

ya, see that's where this all goes , wrong .. I'm not talking shooting capabilities , stay to the subject of cartridges .. some on here will shoot the 7RM or even a 338 WM better than most will a 243 .. ALL things equal . remember , for shot placement ... calibers and cartridges make a diff ... that's my point .. why can't people that want an excuse to use smaller calibers and cartridges accept that .. looking for company is what it is ...

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Rio56

ya see that's where this all goes , wrong .. I'm not talking shooting capabilities , stay to the subject of cartridges .. some on here will shoot the 7RM or even a 338 WM better than most will a 243 .. ALL things equal . remember , for shot placement ... calibers and cartridges make a diff ... that's my point .. why can't people that want an excuse to use smaller calibers and cartridges accept that .. looking for company is what it is ...

Whatever.

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by chuck

Whatever.

Chuck .. you're the one that jumps from one side of the fence and back all the time .. you sorta go with the flow so to speak ... have you shot a 338 Wm , moose , maybe .. guess you have your reasons for that cartridge and not your new 7-08 ... whatever ...

[3blade]

Originally Posted by Rio56

ya, see that's where this all goes , wrong .. I'm not talking shooting capabilities , stay to the subject of cartridges .. some on here will shoot the 7RM or even a 338 WM better than most will a 243 .. ALL things equal . remember , for shot placement ... calibers and cartridges make a diff ... that's my point .. why can't people that want an excuse to use smaller calibers and cartridges accept that .. looking for company is what it is ...

Ok, then what will a 7 rm do that a 243 won't, on a deer inside 300 yards? If shot placement is equal, the deer is dead every time and easily recovered.

You want to add distance, target size, difficult terrain etc, yeah fine but that's a different subject. The op asked if a 243 will allow his lady kill whitetail deer. The answer is yes, providing the appropriate ammunition is used.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Rio56

Chuck .. you're the one that jumps from one side of the fence and back all the time .. you sorta go with the flow so to speak ... have you shot a 338 Wm , moose , maybe .. guess you have your reasons for that cartridge and not your new 7-08 ... whatever ...

Rio. I have an opinion because of actual experience. You are the one making giant bidirectional leaps.

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by 3blade

Ok, then what will a 7 rm do that a 243 won't, on a deer inside 300 yards? If shot placement is equal, the deer is dead every time and easily recovered.

You want to add distance, target size, difficult terrain etc, yeah fine but that's a different subject. The op asked if a 243 will allow his lady kill whitetail deer. The answer is yes, providing the appropriate ammunition is used.

the 7 rm will make a larger primary wound channel and the heavier bullet weight will penetrate more ... is it always needed , no , angle of shot could dictate this .... but there is a diff .. the 243 is a good deer cartridge

[C & C]

Originally Posted by Rio56

the 7 rm will make a larger primary wound channel and the heavier bullet weight will penetrate more ... is it always needed , no , angle of shot could dictate this .... but there is a diff .. the 243 is a good deer cartridge

This is where you miss the boat on shot placement. If you are in conditions you are worried that the shot angle presented there will be a penitration issue its a bad shot.

Shooting on bad angles cause you have a magnum just wreck a bunch of meat and is not something I would ever ethically do. Theres always another deer that will turn broadside.

[Xbolt7mm]

Originally Posted by C & C

This is where you miss the boat on shot placement. If you are in conditions you are worried that the shot angle presented there will be a penitration issue its a bad shot.

Shooting on bad angles cause you have a magnum just wreck a bunch of meat and is not something I would ever ethically do. Theres always another deer that will turn broadside.

You took that and went with didn't you, wow

[KodiakHntr]

Originally Posted by C & C

This is where you miss the boat on shot placement. If you are in conditions you are worried that the shot angle presented there will be a penitration issue its a bad shot.

Shooting on bad angles cause you have a magnum just wreck a bunch of meat and is not something I would ever ethically do. Theres always another deer that will turn broadside.

How is breaking a shoulder and killing a deer less ethical that waiting for one to be broadside and shooting lungs?

Animals with no front wheels don't run as far (if they can go anywhere at all) as lung shot animals.
Want something to run? Punch its lungs. Want it dead close to where you shot it? Break shoulders.

I'd personally rather break shoulders and trim a bit of bloodshot and see an animal fall where I want.

Not sure how that's an ethical issue though.


As a side note, I've personally used a 243/6mm for probably North of 50 head of big game. The last one I shot was a big muley on the last day of the season a couple years back, at 494 yards as he trotted towards a big brush patch quartering away from me. First poke rolled him at the impact, the 105 amax hit him at the last rib and exited just behind the offside shoulder. He did manage to get back to his feet, and since the shooting is the fun part I gave him a second one even though I'd watched the trace and saw the impact and knew he was dead. That one broke both shoulders and exited. Meat loss was about the same as using a 180 Partition from my 300 RUM at 250 yards (a rifle few would say is "minimal" for deer.....)

My girlfriend used the same 243AI last fall to smack a pretty good muley at 243 yards. Both shoulders punched, minimal loss.

And ironically, I believe that particular barrel used to belong to Chuck. Spooky accurate.

For what it's worth, the kids here used a 223 with 55gr gmx, all similar shot placement and presentation - broadside to quartering in - all the same exact distance, 103 yards, all punched shoulders, ONE recovered bullet.
Girlfriend did the same shot, and distance, with a 7/08 and a 140. Oddly enough, all FOUR deer fell within 5 metres of each other over the 3 week period. The other bullet recovered was from that 7/08..............

How can that possibly be?!?!?!?!

[Bergerboy]

Originally Posted by KodiakHntr

How is breaking a shoulder and killing a deer less ethical that waiting for one to be broadside and shooting lungs?

Animals with no front wheels don't run as far (if they can go anywhere at all) as lung shot animals.
Want something to run? Punch its lungs. Want it dead close to where you shot it? Break shoulders.

I'd personally rather break shoulders and trim a bit of bloodshot and see an animal fall where I want.

Not sure how that's an ethical issue though.

I agree. If you butcher your own you will see how little meat is on deer shoulders. Not a big loss.

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by KodiakHntr

How is breaking a shoulder and killing a deer less ethical that waiting for one to be broadside and shooting lungs?

Animals with no front wheels don't run as far (if they can go anywhere at all) as lung shot animals.
Want something to run? Punch its lungs. Want it dead close to where you shot it? Break shoulders.

I'd personally rather break shoulders and trim a bit of bloodshot and see an animal fall where I want.

Not sure how that's an ethical issue though.

yikes ..

[KodiakHntr]

Originally Posted by Rio56

yikes .. where did you come from ... LOL .. finally some truth and know how

Why, I've been here for a while. I just don't see the point in arguing with guys who guess......

Part of the reason why I'm very comfortable using a 223 on deer I suppose.....

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by KodiakHntr

Why, I've been here for a while. I just don't see the point in arguing with guys who guess......

Part of the reason why I'm very comfortable using a 223 on deer I suppose.....

good point and why the reason I will use more gun ... cause I can and have shot many ..

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Rio56

58 not to argue but you're saying the 7-08 and 243 can do the same as the 7MAG ... so why do they even make the 30-06 or 338 ? what's up .. this is all based on the same shot placement thingy everyone gets so over done on ... all things equal for placement the 7-08 and 7 RM are the same ?

Make lots of big game cartridges in various rifle configurations to please everyone and make money is all.
World would be boring if we were all short and fat, short and fat gets it done too
Throw in magnum to a name and people take a different perspective and a higher expectation but it's just for sales.
Now talking about shot placement on critters that don't want to kill you take out the lungs, critters that can kill you, take out both shoulders and anchor them...this is where the larger calibres and heavier bullets come into play.
Throw another log on the fire this is going to go on.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Bergerboy

I agree. If you butcher your own you will see how little meat is on deer shoulders. Not a big loss.

there is lots of meat in the shoulders and if you wreck both of them the potential for the damaged meat can be substantial right into the neck meat.

[KodiakHntr]

Its interesting to me how many guys will talk about a specific cartridge or shot angle as "wrecking too much meat", but NOBODY has been talking about bullets....


Bullets matter more than headstamps. Match a known bullets terminal effects to what your desired effect is, and you'll have much better luck.... Just sayin'.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by Rio56

58 not to argue but you're saying the 7-08 and 243 can do the same as the 7MAG ... so why do they even make the 30-06 or 338 ? what's up .. this is all based on the same shot placement thingy everyone gets so over done on ... all things equal for placement the 7-08 and 7 RM are the same ?

The reason THEY make all of those other calibers is so WE can have choices and because choices $$ SELL $$ and since no one calibers has been proven BEST they can continue to SELL. If we all had 7mm Remington Magnums, life would be boring. Really boring!! Some like small carZ and some like semi tr trucks. If the name of the game is getting your ARZ from A to B the Carz are fine and the Semi will too, but cost TOO much and hard to get a parking spot when you get to Tim's. .....and when you get to Tim's not everyone wants or needs the xtra large triple triple. But THEY keep selling that stuff just for those who do